000 Emergency
Encyclopedia
Triple Zero is the primary national emergency number
in Australia
. The Emergency Call Service is operated by Telstra
a condition of its telecommunication
s licence, and is intended only for use in life-threatening or time-critical emergencies. Other emergency numbers in Australia are 112
for GSM mobile
and satellite phones, which is answered by a Triple Zero (000) operator and 106
for TDD textphones
. Triple Zero (000) was also the emergency number in Denmark
and Finland
until the introduction of the 112
number in 1993.
For calls to the State Emergency Service
the Australia wide number 132 500 can be used (except for Northern territory). This number should only be used for non life threatening situations.
(PMG) introduced the Triple Zero (000) number in major population centres and near the end of the 1980s extended its coverage to nationwide. The number Triple Zero (000) was chosen for several reasons: technically, it suited the dialling system for the most remote automatic exchanges, particularly outback Queensland. These communities used the digit 0 to select an automatic trunk line to a centre. In the most remote communities, two 0s had to be used to reach a main centre; thus dialling 0+0, plus another 0 would call (at least) an operator. Zero is closest to the finger stall on Australian rotary dial phones, so it was easy to dial in darkness.
911
was previously considered as a potential emergency number, though existing numbering arrangements make this unfeasible due to homes and businesses being assigned numbers beginning with 911
.
operator who will then connect the caller to the emergency service organisation calltaker. Telstra operators do not take any details or dispatch services; instead they ask the caller if they require the "Police, Fire, Ambulance?" and their location if calling from a mobile phone or nomadic service (i.e. Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP). The caller is then connected to the relevant emergency service answer point as requested by the caller.
As soon as the emergency service calltaker answers the call, the available caller location information is transferred to the emergency service. The emergency service calltaker will then query the caller for the relevant details and dispatch the required response.
The caller's address is always available to Telstra operators for fixed services in Australia even if the number is "private" (except for VoIP services). However, emergency service organisation calltakers will always ask for the address of the emergency to be stated whenever possible to ensure an accurate location is provided - this is especially important in the case of "third-party" callers who are not personally on the scene of the incident (e.g relatives or alarm monitoring corporations). When calling from a mobile telephone, callers should always attempt to provide accurate location details. This will assist emergency calltakers, and will expedite emergency service dispatch, as this information is not always readily available during the call.
Within Australia, Triple Zero (000) is a free call from any telephone. Dialling Triple Zero (000) (or 112) on most Australian GSM mobile phones will override any keypad lock, and if the caller's home network is out of range, the phone will attempt to use other carrier's networks to relay the call. Interpreter services may also be available once connected to Emergency Services.
Due to special configuration in their firmware, some 3G
or GSM mobile phones sold in Australia will redirect other emergency numbers, such as 9-1-1
and 9-9-9
, to Triple Zero (000). These calls are sent out by the handset as an emergency flag to the network and as such are treated in the same way as a call to Triple Zero (000).
in most parts of the state, and both rural and metropolitan fire services, is handled by the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA). ESTA operates over three sites, located in the Melbourne
CBD, East Burwood, and Mount Helen. Currently, some rural Ambulance communication is still facilitated at a local level by Ambulance Victoria
, however the various regional ambulance call-taking centres are progressively being rolled into the Mount Helen ESTA facility.
When a person calls 000 for emergency response within Victoria, the Telstra operator will connect him or her to the relevant ESTA facility, where a trained calltaker will collect information from the caller, and enter this into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Using this information, a trained dispatcher will respond the appropriate emergency services or resources. Services are often already being notified by the dispatcher while the call-taker is still obtaining further information or giving advice, such as guiding the caller through CPR.
ESTA is also responsible for Victorian State Emergency Service
call-taking and dispatch, although this service cannot be contacted by dialling 000, as SES calls are not considered to be life-threatening.
Many ESTA practices and protocols are standardised across all emergency services agencies, and all agencies use the same computer network. The result is complete and instantaneous information sharing between emergency services.
does not regard State Emergency Service
(SES) calls as life-threatening, this service cannot be contacted via Triple Zero (000). If dialling Triple Zero (000), asking Telstra for the SES will result in connection to a recorded announcement explaining how to contact these services.
caused a large influx of Triple Zero (000) calls, which prevented some calls from being answered immediately. This caused some users interviewed by authorities to believe that they may have accidentally dialed the wrong number. A subsequent investigation recommended that a recorded announcement be implemented to assure callers that their calls were being connected. Callers to Triple Zero (000) are now greeted with a recorded message, which states "You have dialed emergency triple-zero. Your call is being connected."
In 2010, the Australian Communications and Media Authority are researching options that may provide improved location information for mobile services when dialling Triple Zero (000).
Emergency telephone number
Many countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number, that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency telephone number may...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Emergency Call Service is operated by Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
a condition of its telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
s licence, and is intended only for use in life-threatening or time-critical emergencies. Other emergency numbers in Australia are 112
1-1-2
112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
for GSM mobile
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
and satellite phones, which is answered by a Triple Zero (000) operator and 106
106 emergency
106 is the Australian national textphone/TTY emergency number. It is operated by the Australian Communications Exchange, a non-profit organization that provides the relay services component for the National Relay Service...
for TDD textphones
Telecommunications device for the deaf
A telecommunications device for the deaf is a teleprinter, an electronic device for text communication over a telephone line, that is designed for use by persons with hearing or speech difficulties...
. Triple Zero (000) was also the emergency number in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
until the introduction of the 112
1-1-2
112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
number in 1993.
For calls to the State Emergency Service
State Emergency Service
A State Emergency Service is an Australian volunteer organisation that provides emergency help during and after declared disasters. The SES is also the primary or secondary agency for emergencies, such as storm damage,flood damage, building damage, traffic hazards and road crash rescue...
the Australia wide number 132 500 can be used (except for Northern territory). This number should only be used for non life threatening situations.
History
Prior to 1969, Australia did not have a national number for emergency services; the police, fire and ambulance services possessed many phone numbers, one for each local unit. In 1961, the office of the Postmaster GeneralPostmaster-General's Department
The Postmaster-General's Department was created at Federation in 1901 to control all postal services within Australia. Its minister was the Postmaster-General. In mid-1975 it was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission and the Australian Postal Commission...
(PMG) introduced the Triple Zero (000) number in major population centres and near the end of the 1980s extended its coverage to nationwide. The number Triple Zero (000) was chosen for several reasons: technically, it suited the dialling system for the most remote automatic exchanges, particularly outback Queensland. These communities used the digit 0 to select an automatic trunk line to a centre. In the most remote communities, two 0s had to be used to reach a main centre; thus dialling 0+0, plus another 0 would call (at least) an operator. Zero is closest to the finger stall on Australian rotary dial phones, so it was easy to dial in darkness.
911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
was previously considered as a potential emergency number, though existing numbering arrangements make this unfeasible due to homes and businesses being assigned numbers beginning with 911
.
Calling Triple Zero (000)
Calling Triple Zero (000) connects the caller to a TelstraTelstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
operator who will then connect the caller to the emergency service organisation calltaker. Telstra operators do not take any details or dispatch services; instead they ask the caller if they require the "Police, Fire, Ambulance?" and their location if calling from a mobile phone or nomadic service (i.e. Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP). The caller is then connected to the relevant emergency service answer point as requested by the caller.
As soon as the emergency service calltaker answers the call, the available caller location information is transferred to the emergency service. The emergency service calltaker will then query the caller for the relevant details and dispatch the required response.
The caller's address is always available to Telstra operators for fixed services in Australia even if the number is "private" (except for VoIP services). However, emergency service organisation calltakers will always ask for the address of the emergency to be stated whenever possible to ensure an accurate location is provided - this is especially important in the case of "third-party" callers who are not personally on the scene of the incident (e.g relatives or alarm monitoring corporations). When calling from a mobile telephone, callers should always attempt to provide accurate location details. This will assist emergency calltakers, and will expedite emergency service dispatch, as this information is not always readily available during the call.
Within Australia, Triple Zero (000) is a free call from any telephone. Dialling Triple Zero (000) (or 112) on most Australian GSM mobile phones will override any keypad lock, and if the caller's home network is out of range, the phone will attempt to use other carrier's networks to relay the call. Interpreter services may also be available once connected to Emergency Services.
Due to special configuration in their firmware, some 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
or GSM mobile phones sold in Australia will redirect other emergency numbers, such as 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
and 9-9-9
999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
, to Triple Zero (000). These calls are sent out by the handset as an emergency flag to the network and as such are treated in the same way as a call to Triple Zero (000).
Victoria
In the state of Victoria, emergency service dispatch and call-taking for Police, AmbulanceAmbulance Victoria
Since 1 July 2008 emergency ambulance services in Victoria have been provided by a single provider known as Ambulance Victoria. It was formed from the three previous providers of emergency ambulance services: the Metropolitan Ambulance Service , Rural Ambulance Victoria , and the Alexandra District...
in most parts of the state, and both rural and metropolitan fire services, is handled by the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA). ESTA operates over three sites, located in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
CBD, East Burwood, and Mount Helen. Currently, some rural Ambulance communication is still facilitated at a local level by Ambulance Victoria
Ambulance Victoria
Since 1 July 2008 emergency ambulance services in Victoria have been provided by a single provider known as Ambulance Victoria. It was formed from the three previous providers of emergency ambulance services: the Metropolitan Ambulance Service , Rural Ambulance Victoria , and the Alexandra District...
, however the various regional ambulance call-taking centres are progressively being rolled into the Mount Helen ESTA facility.
When a person calls 000 for emergency response within Victoria, the Telstra operator will connect him or her to the relevant ESTA facility, where a trained calltaker will collect information from the caller, and enter this into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Using this information, a trained dispatcher will respond the appropriate emergency services or resources. Services are often already being notified by the dispatcher while the call-taker is still obtaining further information or giving advice, such as guiding the caller through CPR.
ESTA is also responsible for Victorian State Emergency Service
State Emergency Service
A State Emergency Service is an Australian volunteer organisation that provides emergency help during and after declared disasters. The SES is also the primary or secondary agency for emergencies, such as storm damage,flood damage, building damage, traffic hazards and road crash rescue...
call-taking and dispatch, although this service cannot be contacted by dialling 000, as SES calls are not considered to be life-threatening.
Many ESTA practices and protocols are standardised across all emergency services agencies, and all agencies use the same computer network. The result is complete and instantaneous information sharing between emergency services.
SES
As the Australian Communications and Media AuthorityAustralian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
does not regard State Emergency Service
State Emergency Service
A State Emergency Service is an Australian volunteer organisation that provides emergency help during and after declared disasters. The SES is also the primary or secondary agency for emergencies, such as storm damage,flood damage, building damage, traffic hazards and road crash rescue...
(SES) calls as life-threatening, this service cannot be contacted via Triple Zero (000). If dialling Triple Zero (000), asking Telstra for the SES will result in connection to a recorded announcement explaining how to contact these services.
2003 overload in Melbourne
On 3 December 2003, floods and storms in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
caused a large influx of Triple Zero (000) calls, which prevented some calls from being answered immediately. This caused some users interviewed by authorities to believe that they may have accidentally dialed the wrong number. A subsequent investigation recommended that a recorded announcement be implemented to assure callers that their calls were being connected. Callers to Triple Zero (000) are now greeted with a recorded message, which states "You have dialed emergency triple-zero. Your call is being connected."
Triple Oh
Emergency services and Australia's Communications Regulator prefer the phrase "triple zero" over "triple oh" because of potential confusion and misunderstanding over keying the number when using alpha-numeric keypads. This could cause people to dial "666" in an emergency, not Triple Zero (000), or even enter the alphabet characters OOO if using a computer-based dialler or telephone software such as VoIP (a feature intended to be used for numbers advertised as a phrase or word, such as 13 CABS or 1800 REVERSE).Remote locations
One major obstacle in earlier 2009 is the inability of operators of triple-0 to use GPS within GSM or CDMA systems to accurately locate distressed or injured persons using mobile phones visibly away from roads. Presently, operators must ask the caller exactly where they are. The answer to this may need to correspond to an existing road name (which may be practically impossible for distressed person(s) some kilometres away from a road) prior to the Emergency Service Organisation operator being able to dispatch an emergency service vehicle.In 2010, the Australian Communications and Media Authority are researching options that may provide improved location information for mobile services when dialling Triple Zero (000).
David Iredale
The NSW State Labor Government has admitted to failings regarding the death of David Iredale, a high school student who died of dehydration in the bush near Katoomba in late 2006. Iredale made several calls for help to 000 prior to his death. Emergency services, specifically the NSW Ambulance Service Triple-zero call centre, were accused of inappropriately handling Iredale's calls; he was not provided with any medical advice, and operators were accused of being "pre-occupied" with obtaining a street address to send help to, despite the fact that Iredale was located in the bush. An inquest set up to investigate failings in the 000 system as a result of his death identified serious issues in the practices used by 000 operators.See also
- 1111-1-1111 is the emergency telephone number in New Zealand. It was first implemented in Masterton and Carterton on 29 September 1958, and was progressively rolled out nationwide with the last exchanges converting in 1988...
Emergency phone number in New Zealand. - 1121-1-2112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
Emergency phone number across the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and on GSM mobile networks across the world. - 1191-1-9119 is the emergency telephone number in parts of Asia and in Jamaica.- 119 in South Korea :119 is a direct-dial emergency number for firefighter and ambulance services operated by the National Emergency Management Agency. The caller's location is automatically traced once the call is connected,...
Emergency phone number in parts of East Asia. - 9119-1-19-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
Emergency phone number in US and Canada. - 999999 (emergency telephone number)999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
Emergency phone number in Ireland, Poland and United Kingdom (where it works parallel to 112). Also an emergency number in several non-EU countries.
- Emergency telephoneEmergency telephoneAn emergency telephone is a phone specifically provided for making calls to emergency services and is most often found in a place of special danger or where it is likely that there will only be a need to make emergency calls....
- Emergency telephone numberEmergency telephone numberMany countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number, that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency telephone number may...
- In case of emergencyIn case of emergencyIn case of emergency is a programme that enables first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and Hospital personnel, to contact the phone owner's next of kin to obtain important medical/support information...
(ICE) entry in the mobile phone book.